ANNAPOLIS, MD—In an effort to bolster the health of the Chesapeake Bay and stimulate economic growth, Governor Wes Moore this week signed the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act into law. This bill represents a cornerstone of the Moore-Miller administration’s environmental and economic agenda.

The act aims to modernize Maryland’s water quality and monitoring programs, promote regenerative agriculture practices, streamline aquaculture leasing, update fisheries management, and expedite watershed projects through a collaborative permitting process.

“We have a responsibility to hand over the state to the next generation better than we found it,” said Governor Moore. “That’s not just a moral priority — that’s an economic imperative.” He emphasized the dual benefit of the legislation, stating, “The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act will uplift every sector of our Bay economy, from agriculture to aquaculture. Together, we will protect and preserve our natural heirlooms and drive economic growth. Those missions aren’t in conflict, they’re in concert.”

The bill also establishes the Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming Pilot Program, incentivizing sustainable land management practices.

In addition to the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, Governor Moore signed several other bills, including:

• Packaging and Paper Products – Producer Responsibility Plans: This bill establishes a framework for the Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility Program, requiring producers of certain materials to manage their products’ end-of-life. It institutes an alternative collection program through reuse, recycling, or composting, requiring a producer responsibility organization to pay a fee and conduct a statewide recycling needs assessment.
• Public Health Abortion Grant Program – Establishment: This bill establishes a grant program within the Maryland Department of Health to improve access to abortion care clinical services.
• Equal Access to Public Services for Individuals With Limited English Proficiency and Individuals With Disabilities: This bill expands state agencies’ requirements to provide equal access to government services for individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency. The bill requires the Governor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Department of Disabilities to convene the Maryland Language Advisory Group to advise and recommend on oversight, monitoring, investigation, and enforcement of language assistance provisions for individuals needing language assistance.

For a complete list of the bills signed this week, visit: https://governor.maryland.gov/news/Pages/bill-signings.aspx.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via the Maryland Governor’s Office

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